I have decided there is a hidden season in spring when everyone's coming down from spring fever and has the grouchies. I have also decided I'm not going to let anyone bring me down, no matter what they do or say to try. So in the spirit of facing adversity, I have performed three super kindnesses in the past three days. I wanted to change things up a bit to keep myself motivated, so I made sure I put in extra effort.
143: Yes, I bought someone coffee again. This was different though, because I bought it for a group of three. They seemed to appreciate it, because they talked among themselves of how cool it was to get free coffee, but only one remembered in hindsight to thank me. That was after he was sitting down with his coffee and I was leaving the store, but maybe it's improvement.....
144: I helped my neighbour to do some lawn work. She maintains her friend's lawn, who happens to be another neighbour of mine, and it's a very big lawn. I took the boys over with rakes and we spent about 40 minutes helping her tidy up leaves, branches and garbage that people leave everywhere.
145:I brought a friends' cat home from the shelter for her, because she doesn't have a car. I also took some business cards from another friend, to promote her business. And I did all my husband's regular chores while he was out so he could have a break from his daily cleaning. Instead of one big thing, I did a whole bunch of little things.
Tuesday 28 May 2013
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Kindnesses 141 and 142
I forgot to look at the number, so here's my kindness for yesterday. I had to stay home for the most part, because I was in so much pain from shingles. I took E out for a walk though. I was friendly to everyone I saw, and that was six people. One older man was very surprised, but pleased that I was talking to him. It seemed to me that he didn't talk to many people, but he was very nice. He said hi to E and played peek-a-boo with him, and I'm pretty sure that old man's day was a bit better because of us. There was also a lady walking a dog, and E waved and said hi to her. This is unusual for him, because unless he's sitting with someone for half an hour, he usually doesn't do much of anything in front of them. The lady thought E was the cutest thing (if I may say so, he really is) and stopped to talk for a few minutes. E was a regular performer this time. He said his words, he chatted and he even petted the dog. Her day was better too because of us, I hope.
Today was the women's dinner that I try to make it to regularly. It's for women only, and it's about supporting each other and learning about what we can do. I was sitting at a table with some acquaintances and a lady came up to talk to the girl beside me. She was upset the table was full, because she only knew one person there. I got up to move so she could sit with her friend. She told me I didn't have to, but was grateful when I said I can talk to anybody and I didn't mind moving at all. So I went to a new table and struck up conversations with the women there. It was a good dinner.
Today was the women's dinner that I try to make it to regularly. It's for women only, and it's about supporting each other and learning about what we can do. I was sitting at a table with some acquaintances and a lady came up to talk to the girl beside me. She was upset the table was full, because she only knew one person there. I got up to move so she could sit with her friend. She told me I didn't have to, but was grateful when I said I can talk to anybody and I didn't mind moving at all. So I went to a new table and struck up conversations with the women there. It was a good dinner.
Monday 20 May 2013
Kindness 137-140
The week didn't improve much toward it's end. People are still cranky and miserable, but I've done my best to make some feel better.
137: I held open the door for an older couple at a store. They said thank you, and acted surprised that I waited for them to walk through. I guess it's not every day the younger generation is nice to teh older generation. That, or they saw me with two kids having a crazy day (all my days are crazy) and they were shocked I managed to keep the kids still for a minute.
138: I finally gave away our tickets to Nascar. Since we decided not to go anyway I offered them to my neighbour, who has a young boy. She decided to take them and they went and had a good family day at the races, which I was happy about. She's a good friend so it's not surprising she was appreciative. She brought back some souvenirs for J too.
139: I was outside sweeping up the grass and dirt of the sidewalk on our property, because it just looked messy. While I was at it, I swept the sidewalk for the section of our street, just to make it all look better. There are five houses on this stretch, so it was five neighbours I was kind to.
140: There is a little girl across the street that we don't know very well. I'm not sure if she lives there with her mom or if the girl living there just takes care of her. We see her playing outside quite often though. I offered to let them borrow J's old tricycle, because E won't be able to use it until next year. They said yes, she's grown out of hers, so now I just need to take it over to them.
137: I held open the door for an older couple at a store. They said thank you, and acted surprised that I waited for them to walk through. I guess it's not every day the younger generation is nice to teh older generation. That, or they saw me with two kids having a crazy day (all my days are crazy) and they were shocked I managed to keep the kids still for a minute.
138: I finally gave away our tickets to Nascar. Since we decided not to go anyway I offered them to my neighbour, who has a young boy. She decided to take them and they went and had a good family day at the races, which I was happy about. She's a good friend so it's not surprising she was appreciative. She brought back some souvenirs for J too.
139: I was outside sweeping up the grass and dirt of the sidewalk on our property, because it just looked messy. While I was at it, I swept the sidewalk for the section of our street, just to make it all look better. There are five houses on this stretch, so it was five neighbours I was kind to.
140: There is a little girl across the street that we don't know very well. I'm not sure if she lives there with her mom or if the girl living there just takes care of her. We see her playing outside quite often though. I offered to let them borrow J's old tricycle, because E won't be able to use it until next year. They said yes, she's grown out of hers, so now I just need to take it over to them.
Thursday 16 May 2013
Kindnesses 133, 134 and 135 and 136
133: I was in a fairly bad mood but I still performed my kindness. I was at the gym in the change room and someone had forgotten her hair elastic. I gave her two of my extras that I keep in my gym bag, one for using and one for an extra in case she forgot again. She thanked me and seemed happy.
134: Today my kindness was a little unconventional but it also reminded me of why I'm doing this. I was getting a haircut and chatting away with my stylist. I was just being my normal, slightly overbearing, very friendly and overly opinionated self, which was making her laugh. At the end of the cut she told me I was her favourite customer of the day, because I was hilarious. While my goal is not to be hilarious, it is to put people in a better mood. So it made up for my bad mood previously because I reconsidered how my conduct affects others.
135: My kindness was not well-received today. I thought to give away the tickets for a race this weekend that we can't go to, but no one wanted them. No one even said "thanks anyway." So much for that one. I still tried though.
136: My kindness today was to give coffee to the bus driver. See my mom blog for the reason I wasn't in the mood to do anything nice for anyone today. I still did though,, because I am committed.
134: Today my kindness was a little unconventional but it also reminded me of why I'm doing this. I was getting a haircut and chatting away with my stylist. I was just being my normal, slightly overbearing, very friendly and overly opinionated self, which was making her laugh. At the end of the cut she told me I was her favourite customer of the day, because I was hilarious. While my goal is not to be hilarious, it is to put people in a better mood. So it made up for my bad mood previously because I reconsidered how my conduct affects others.
135: My kindness was not well-received today. I thought to give away the tickets for a race this weekend that we can't go to, but no one wanted them. No one even said "thanks anyway." So much for that one. I still tried though.
136: My kindness today was to give coffee to the bus driver. See my mom blog for the reason I wasn't in the mood to do anything nice for anyone today. I still did though,, because I am committed.
Sunday 12 May 2013
Kindness 130-132
I promise you all I will be back to the more detailed posts soon, but I'm having some trouble with my article. I thought it was a great topic and it would be easy, but lo and behold it is most definitely not. I finished two separate rough drafts, only to delete them. Is it just me, or is it much more satisfying to rip them to pieces? The advent of technology (and my horrible handwriting) have deprived me of that, so I am currently working on drafts 3, 4 and 5. I can't figure out what is the best way to say what I know I want to say, and I've lost all my references but I remember all the material. How frustrating is that? Anyway, here are my kindnesses for the last three days.
130: I brought in several garbage and recycling bins. I then felt bad about not being more creative so I helped someone down the street (whom I didn't know) move a table from their van to their porch.
131: I took the boys out to play and said hello to everyone who passed. Only two people wanted a short chat, but still I brightened their days. I also gave half a cake to my friend and her husband, because I enjoyed my Mother's Day dinner early and I really didn't need any more cake. I figured her family could enjoy it and it wouldn't go to waste (or to my hips).
132: I called and texted several people to wish them Happy Mother's Day. Wow, you'd think by now "texted" would be in the English dictionary, but it's showing as a typo.
130: I brought in several garbage and recycling bins. I then felt bad about not being more creative so I helped someone down the street (whom I didn't know) move a table from their van to their porch.
131: I took the boys out to play and said hello to everyone who passed. Only two people wanted a short chat, but still I brightened their days. I also gave half a cake to my friend and her husband, because I enjoyed my Mother's Day dinner early and I really didn't need any more cake. I figured her family could enjoy it and it wouldn't go to waste (or to my hips).
132: I called and texted several people to wish them Happy Mother's Day. Wow, you'd think by now "texted" would be in the English dictionary, but it's showing as a typo.
Thursday 9 May 2013
Kindness 126-129
Maybe it's the extreme change in weather, going from a blizzard one week to swimming the next, or maybe it's the complete lack of spring weather we've had around here, but everyone in Peterborough seems to be in a bad mood, myself included. I have kept up with this resolution despite my mood though, because I know that by being good to others I'm a happier person. I wish it rubbed off, but that's a 50/50 occurrence. In order to remain gung ho about this though, I decided that I would devote these four acts of kindness to completely random strangers, and not count anyone I know. So here's my rundown.
126: I donated to my local YMCA, just a couple of dollars but still. I guess they have more than enough donors though because I didn't get an acknowledgement when I put money into the huge jar on the counter.
127: I gave some gluten-free recipes to a local cafe, because her customers are going gluten-free crazy and she doesn't have time to test it all out. I made sure they were tried and true. I may have gotten a (very part-time) job out of it, because she's looking for someone to bake gluten-free things for her store and I told her I would test out some more recipes and let her know.
128: I was walking with E and a woman was unloading groceries while her toddler was trying to run into the street. I offered to help either unload the groceries to her front porch or keep an eye on her child. She didn't want me anywhere near her kid, but said "I guess you can put the groceries there." I could have responded with a "no thank you, I will be nice to someone else today," but I didn't. I unloaded her car, put all the groceries next to her front door and left. Not even a thank you from her. I've noted her address.
129: I gave E some change to put into the jar for the local SPCA. He was having fun doing it, but I learned not to give your toddler access to your wallet. He spent all of my coffee money, and by that I mean about ten dollars. Hey, it never hurts to be too careful about coffee money. There have been emergencies before. I guess they also have enough people donating, because although they were very polite to me about adopting a cat, they didn't thank me for the donations.
I blame the weather, because I don't like to think people feel quite as entitled as they did this week, or ungrateful. Sunshine brings out the worst in people.
126: I donated to my local YMCA, just a couple of dollars but still. I guess they have more than enough donors though because I didn't get an acknowledgement when I put money into the huge jar on the counter.
127: I gave some gluten-free recipes to a local cafe, because her customers are going gluten-free crazy and she doesn't have time to test it all out. I made sure they were tried and true. I may have gotten a (very part-time) job out of it, because she's looking for someone to bake gluten-free things for her store and I told her I would test out some more recipes and let her know.
128: I was walking with E and a woman was unloading groceries while her toddler was trying to run into the street. I offered to help either unload the groceries to her front porch or keep an eye on her child. She didn't want me anywhere near her kid, but said "I guess you can put the groceries there." I could have responded with a "no thank you, I will be nice to someone else today," but I didn't. I unloaded her car, put all the groceries next to her front door and left. Not even a thank you from her. I've noted her address.
129: I gave E some change to put into the jar for the local SPCA. He was having fun doing it, but I learned not to give your toddler access to your wallet. He spent all of my coffee money, and by that I mean about ten dollars. Hey, it never hurts to be too careful about coffee money. There have been emergencies before. I guess they also have enough people donating, because although they were very polite to me about adopting a cat, they didn't thank me for the donations.
I blame the weather, because I don't like to think people feel quite as entitled as they did this week, or ungrateful. Sunshine brings out the worst in people.
Sunday 5 May 2013
Kindnesses 121-125
It's been a crazy week, and it's all my fault. Here and there and back again and kids and cooking and intensive spring cleaning, not to mention waging a personal war on the (insert expletive of choice here) day lilies in my backyard. Plus writing an article, which is almost at the first draft stage. And doing something nice every day. I haven't been sleeping much. No time. So here's my rundown of the last five kindnesses I've performed.
121: I gave a coupon I got in the mail for a pack of breakfast drinks to a girl I see drinking them on the bus all the time.
122: I gave banana bread to a neighbour of mine.
123: I brought in the garbage and recycling bins of my other neighbour, whose on vacation, and I also collected her mail for her.
124: I randomly selected a person in Tim Hortons to give a coffee card to.
125: I picked up garbage with the kids at a park.
121: I gave a coupon I got in the mail for a pack of breakfast drinks to a girl I see drinking them on the bus all the time.
122: I gave banana bread to a neighbour of mine.
123: I brought in the garbage and recycling bins of my other neighbour, whose on vacation, and I also collected her mail for her.
124: I randomly selected a person in Tim Hortons to give a coffee card to.
125: I picked up garbage with the kids at a park.
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